c/diy-home-projects

TIL my old deck used 2,000 screws and I was way off

I was replacing the boards on my 12x16 deck and decided to count every screw I pulled out, just out of curiosity. I guessed maybe 800 total, but the final count was 2,047, which blew my mind. It made me realize how much material and labor goes into something that seems simple from the outside. Has anyone else had a project where the sheer number of fasteners or parts totally surprised you?

My $120 bathroom vent fan install turned into a moldy mess

I tried to replace my old fan myself last fall, thinking it would be simple. I cut the new hole in the ceiling, hooked up the duct, and thought I was done. But I didn't seal the duct connection to the outside vent with mastic tape (I just used the cheap foil stuff). Six months later, I found a damp spot and had to rip out a section of wet, moldy drywall. Has anyone else had a vent fan fail because of a bad seal, and how did you fix it right?

Shoutout to the guy at the hardware store who saved my bathroom floor

I was trying to replace a cracked tile in my shower last Tuesday and chipped the subfloor with the chisel, creating a small hole near the drain. The guy at the Ace Hardware on 5th told me to mix up some quick-setting hydraulic cement to patch it before I laid the new tile, which actually worked perfectly. Has anyone else had to fix a messed up subfloor like that, or did I just get lucky?

Watched my neighbor try to hang a shelf with just drywall anchors... again

He was putting up a heavy oak shelf in his living room and only used those little plastic anchors. I told him last week to find a stud or use a toggle bolt for anything over 10 pounds. Sure enough, I heard a crash this morning and the whole thing ripped out of the wall, taking a chunk of drywall with it. How do people not get that drywall alone can't hold real weight?

Trying to fix a squeaky floor in my 1920s house turned into a month long mess

Honestly, I thought it would be a weekend job to fix a squeaky spot in my bedroom. I pulled up the carpet and found the subfloor was just old planks nailed to the joists, and half the nails were loose. I spent three days just trying to find the right spots to drive screws into without hitting pipes. Ngl, I ended up having to cut a small access panel in the closet ceiling below to see what I was doing. The whole thing took me almost four weekends total. Has anyone else dealt with squeaks in an old house and found a better way?

PSA: I compared a $20 orbital sander to my old palm sander for a deck refinish

The orbital left no swirl marks and cut my sanding time in half, which was a huge relief. Anyone have a favorite brand for outdoor wood projects?

I used leftover paint from 2010 on my fence and it came out a totally different color

My uncle told me to use a 2x4 for a temporary brace on my shed build, said it would be fine for a week. It wasn't.

My dad insisted I needed a 4-foot level for tiling my bathroom floor

I thought my 2-footer was fine, but the longer level showed a subtle dip that would've ruined the whole job. Anyone have a go-to brand for a good, affordable long level?

My dad insisted I needed a 4-foot level for tiling my bathroom floor

I thought my 2-foot level was fine, but after laying the first few tiles in my Atlanta bathroom, the slope was obvious and I had to pull them up. Renting the longer level for a day cost me $22 and saved the whole project. Has anyone else had a simple tool tip completely save a job?

A warning about old electrical boxes before you start a kitchen demo

Last Tuesday, I was taking down a backsplash in my 1950s house in Springfield, and I found a metal junction box with cloth wiring that was totally crumbling. It was tucked behind the tile, and I almost drilled right into it. Had to stop everything, call an electrician, and it cost me $350 to get it fixed safely. Has anyone else run into something like this during a remodel, and how did you handle it?

Rant: Just read that a standard 2x4 is actually only 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches.

Found this in a lumberyard FAQ and it explains why my deck frame was off. Does this 'nominal sizing' drive anyone else nuts, or is it just a thing you get used to?

PSA: My simple tile backsplash fix turned into a two-day grout nightmare

I had one cracked subway tile behind the sink, figured I'd pop it out and replace it in an hour. The old mortar was like concrete and I ended up damaging two adjacent tiles, so then I had to carefully chip out three tiles without wrecking the drywall, which took all of Saturday. Has anyone else found a good way to remove single tiles without starting a whole domino effect?

Vent: My basement drywall job in Toledo looked awful until I switched to a 12 inch knife

Last month I was finishing my basement and the first wall I mudded turned out really lumpy. I was using a 6 inch taping knife and it just left ridges everywhere. After three tries, I grabbed my old 12 inch finishing knife and the difference was huge, it smoothed everything out in one pass. Anyone have a trick for getting clean inside corners without that special corner tool?

I was putting up a new shelf in my garage and the whole thing leaned forward.

I kept adding shims behind the top, but my neighbor pointed out I had the bracket upside down the whole time. Has anyone else mixed up a simple bracket like that before?

My brother-in-law told me my deck screws were too short after seeing my project in Omaha

Heard a guy at the lumber yard say he always buys an extra 15% for his cuts

I was picking up some pine for a simple shelf and this older guy in line was telling the cashier about a project that went wrong because he ran short. He said 'I just add 15% to my list now, saves a second trip.' I've always just bought the exact board feet on my sketch. Has that extra buffer actually saved you guys time on a build?

Unpopular opinion: I ripped out my laminate flooring and put down real wood, and it was worth every penny

I had to choose between putting in more of that click-lock laminate that came with my house or spending the money on solid oak planks. The laminate looked fine, but a section near the back door swelled up after a leak last winter. I decided to bite the bullet and spent about $3,200 on materials to do the whole main floor myself. It took me three weekends and my knees were killing me, but sanding and finishing the raw wood was weirdly satisfying. Now the floor has these slight color variations and a warmth the fake stuff never had. My buddy said I was crazy for the extra cost and work, but walking on it barefoot feels completely different. Has anyone else made a big switch like that and been really glad they did?

A trip to the hardware store made me rethink my whole paint prep routine

I was at the big Home Depot in Springfield last weekend, buying primer for a dresser. An older guy in line saw my cart and asked if I had a good scraper. I said I just sand a little. He told me he spent 30 years as a painter and that scraping for 10 minutes saves an hour of sanding later. Now I'm torn. One side says sanding is fine and you get a smooth start. The other side says a sharp scraper gets off old paint way faster and saves your arms. What's your go-to method for getting old paint off furniture?

Appreciation post: I finally tried a proper paint sprayer after years of rolling and brushing everything.

I chose to paint my kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them and it saved me a ton

The doors were solid but the finish was worn, so I had to pick between a full replacement or a deep clean, sanding, and painting them myself. I went with painting, using a specific bonding primer my buddy recommended, and spent about $200 on supplies. It took me two full weekends, but the result looks brand new and I saved over $3,000 compared to new cabinets. Has anyone else done this and have tips for keeping the paint from chipping on the handles?

I always thought you had to sand old paint off before repainting, but my neighbor's trick saved me a weekend.

I was getting ready to repaint my kitchen cabinets, which had this thick, glossy finish from the 90s. Everything I read said to sand it all down to bare wood for the new paint to stick. I bought a big orbital sander and a ton of 80-grit paper, dreading the dust and the time. Then my neighbor Mike, who flips houses, came over and saw me setting up. He said, 'Willow, you're killing yourself. Just use a liquid deglosser.' I was super skeptical, but I got a bottle of Zinsser's B-I-N deglosser for about $15. I wiped it on with a rag, waited ten minutes, and the surface was totally dull and ready for primer. It took maybe an hour for the whole set. One side says you must sand for a perfect bond, the other says a chemical deglosser is just as good if the old finish is sound. Has anyone else tried this method on cabinets, and did the paint hold up over time?

Hot take: I think the 'everything needs a smart switch' trend is a waste for most people

I was watching a DIY channel and the host said you should replace every basic switch in your house with a smart one for 'future proofing'. That's like 30 switches in my place, costing over $500 easy. Most rooms just need a light on and off, not a schedule or voice control. Has anyone else skipped the smart home stuff and been totally fine?

Update on my bathroom tile job that went sideways

Honestly, I was laying subway tile in my guest bathroom last weekend and my wet saw blade chipped the edge of a crucial corner piece. Tbh I just mixed a little grout to fill the chip, smoothed it, and painted it with some leftover tile paint, and you can barely tell. Ngl has anyone else had to fix a chipped tile without replacing the whole thing?

I was convinced you had to sand between every coat of paint

My neighbor, who's painted houses for 30 years, told me last week, 'You're just making dust for yourself, kid. On a flat wall with a good roller, you only need a light scuff after the primer.' I redid my living room over the weekend and skipped the sanding between my two top coats. The finish came out perfectly smooth and I saved at least two hours. Has anyone else found a step they can safely skip on a paint job?